Key case



March 18, 1941. J w CALHQQN 2,235,606

KEY CASE Filed Aug. 22, 1940 Inventor I sse WCk 3%.? Fig.9..

A iiorney Patented Mar. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES KEY CASE

Jesse W. Calhoon, Columbus, Ohio Application August 22,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to cases or containers for keys and an object of the invention is to provide a case or container of this character which will have many advantages over the types of key cases or containers now generally known and used, and among which advantages may be noted the simplicity of construction, the ease with which the case may be manipulated for effecting removal of a key turn of the key to its position in the case, its neatness and compactness.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 isa side elevational view of a key case embodying the features of the present invention with the case in fully closed condition.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but with the case in an open position.

Figure 3 is an edge elevational view of the case.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the case.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an ejector member forming part of the invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a spring forming part of the invention. 7

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a name-plate forming part of the invention.

Figure 8 is a side view in elevation of the screw bolt; and

Figure 9 is a side view in elevation of the spacer sleeve.

Referring more in detail to the drawing it will be seen that the case indicated generally by the reference numeral 5 is preferably tapered slightly from one end to the other thereof and embodies a pair of side members or walls 6-6 formed of any suitable material and connected together at the larger ends thereof through the medium of a two-part screw bolt or rivet I.

The screw-bolt or rivet 1 provides a pivot for the keys 8. The size of the case may be such as to accommodate four keys, or any desired number of keys.

Between the sides 6 of the case at the end thereof remote from the screw-bolt or rivet I, there is provided an ejector 9. r

The ejector 9 may be made from any suitable material and comprises a tapered body ID that intermediate its ends is provided with an elongated slot H to accommodate a two-part screwbolt or rivet l2 that serves to connect the minor ends of the sides 6 of the case and also to protherefrom and the re- 1940, Serial No. 353,753

vide an adjustable connection between the walls 6 of the case and the ejector 9.

At the major end thereof the body H! of the ejector 9 is provided with a notch l3 that tapers gradually inwardly from the extreme end of the body III as shown and the notch l3 accommodates, normally, therein the free ends of the keys 8 as clearly suggested in Figures 2 and 4.

At the minor end thereof the body ID of the ejector 9 is provided with a laterally enlarged head l4 that has a roughened surface [5 to facilitate finger manipulation of the ejector.

Also at opposite sides thereof the body ID at the head end [5 is equipped with integral lugs l6 that engage in notches l1 provided therefor in the minor extremities of the walls 6 of the case for normally holding the ejector 9 in the position shown in Figure 1.

The ejector 9 is normally urged to the position mentioned, and as shown in Figure 1, through the medium of a spring l8.

The spring I8, as shown in Figure 6, is formed with an integral eye 19 that is clamped between one end of one of the parts of the screw-bolt or rivet l2 and an adjacent wall 6 of the case 5 as shown in Figure 4, and has a curved end 20 accommodated within the slot II and bearing against an end of the slot for normally urging the ejector 9 longitudinally and inwardly of the casing 5, thereby serving ejector 9 in the normal or retracted position shown in Figure 1.

Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided a name-plate 2| in the form of an elongated strip of metal or other suitable material, and the plate 2| is provided at the respective opposite ends thereof with apertures 22, one of which may be used to accommodate the rivet I whereby the name-plate is pivoted at said one end within the case 5, and the other aperture 22 may be used to accommodate a key ring for attaching the case to such a ring.

It will also be apparent that in actual practice the walls 6-6 may be of transparent material so that the indicia on the plate 2| may be readily viewed without withdrawing the plate from the case 5.

When it is desired to make use of a key within the case 5 the operator, grasping the head l5 of the ejector 9, pulls outwardly on said ejector so that the lugs I6 clear the notches [1. When this has been accomplished the ejector 9 is rotated on the pivot I2 and by reason of the free ends of the keys engaging in the notch l3 said ends of the keys will be swung to the dotted line position to yieldably retain the shown in Figure 2, in which position a selected key may be readily separated from the other keys for use. When the key selection has been made the operator then swings the ejector 9 in a reverse direction into a position between the walls or sides 6 of the case and the spring I8 will act to cause the ejector 9 to move inwardly of the case for engaging the lugs 16 in the notches ll.

Each of the screw-bolts or rivets 1, 12 has thereon a spacer sleeve la for coaction with the respective screw-bolts or rivets to hold the side walls 6-6 in proper spaced relation and in a snug and firm position.

It is thought that the simplicity of construction and the many advantages of a key case embodying the features of the present invention will be apparent without a more detailed description thereof.

It is also to be understood that while I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is in no wise intended to limit the invention to the precise details of construction, materials, combination and arrangement of elements herein illustrated and described, other than as may be required by the prior art and scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a key case of the character described, a pair of wall members, means connecting said Wall members together in spaced relation at one end of the case and providing a pivot for keys accommodated in the case, rivet means connecting said wall members together in spaced relation at a relatively opposite end of the case, and an ejector embodying a body pivotally and slidably accommodated between the last-named ends of said walls, said body having its inner end forked to provide a notch for accommodating the free ends of the keys within the case, and said body being also provided with a slot accommodating the rivet connecting the walls at the lastnamed end of the case, detent means for normally holding the ejector body between the wall forming members and spring means for normally holding the ejector body with the rivet in the outer end of the slot and the detent means in engagement.

2. In a key case of the character described, a pair of wall members, means connecting said wall members together in spaced relation at one end of the case and providing a pivot for keys accommodated in the case, rivet means connecting said wall members together in spaced relation at a relatively opposite end of the case, and an ejector embodying a body pivotally and slidably accommodated between the last-named ends of said walls, said body being provided at the inner end thereof with a notch accommodating the free ends of the keys within the case, and said bod being also provided with a slot accommodating the rivet connecting the walls at the last-named end of the case, and means normally acting on said ejector yieldably retaining the same in a fixed position relative to the walls of the case, said means including a spring anchored at one end thereof to the last-named rivet and having a free end bearing against a wall of the slot in said ejector body and normally urging said body inwardly with respect to the case.

3. In a key case of the character described, a pair of wall, members, means connecting said wall members together in spaced relation at one end of the case and providing a pivot for keys accommodated in the case, rivet means connecting said wall members together in spaced relation at a relatively opposite end of the case, and an ejector embodying a body pivotally and slidably accommodated between the last-named ends of said walls, said body being provided at the inner end thereof with a notch accommodating the free ends of the keys within the case, and said body being also provided with a slot accommodating the rivet connecting the walls at the last-named end of the case, and means normally acting on said ejector yieldablyretaining the same in a fixed position relative to the walls of the case, said means including a spring anchored at one end thereof to the last-named rivet and having a free end bearing against a wall of the slot in said ejector body and normally urging said body inwardly with respect to the case; and said ejector body having a head-equipped end projecting outwardly of said case and provided on opposite sides thereof with lugs engaging in notches provided therefor in the walls of said case; said ejector adapted to be moved longitudinally of the case in opposition to said spring for moving the lugs out of engagement with said notches to permit swinging movement of the ejector into and out of laterally projected position relative to said case.

JESSE W. CALHOON. 

